Clamp improvements

Recycled film caps:
A tight G-clamp can mar a work surface. To protect your projects, glue the caps from plastic 35 mm film containers to the G-clamp jaws. When you no longer need the caps, just pop them off.

Magnetic pads:
Ever wish you had a third hand when fitting protective wood blocks between a workpiece and steel pipe-clamp jaws? Magnets fitted into the blocks can make the job easier. Cut recesses in the blocks so the magnets will be flush with the surface: then glue the magnets into place with epoxy.

Red flag:
The ends of long bar long pipe clamps often stick out during a clamping job. To avoid bumping into them, drape a brightly coloured rag over the end of each clamp. That way you won’t hurt yourself or tear your clothing.

Turning point:
If you have trouble getting enough torque (turning pressure) on the smooth handles of a hand-screw clamp, stretch a length of s bicycle tube over the handle. The tube will go on easily if you dust the inside with talcum powder.

Squeeze-out protection:
To keep your clamps free from rust and dried glue, rub them with paraffin — or paste-wax. The coating adds moisture resistance and allows you to easily chip off any accidental gobs of glue.

Vice cushions:
To keep a vice from marring other soft material, make two wooden cushions the same size as the jaws of the vice. To hold the cushions in on the vice, attach magnetic strips to them with construction adhesive.

Shield a vice:
Another way to protect a work surface from the jaws of a bench vice is with a pair of wooden shields. They’re easy enough to make. Simply use four pieces of scrap wood glued and screwed together to form L-joints.

You can take it with you:
Have vou ever been away from your workshop and needed a vice? Here are two ways to take the vice to the job. Bolt a 3″ vice to a 4″ long, 12″ x 2″ plank with a cut-out handle. This size plank is heavy enough to remain steady. Or bolt a 2″ x 2″ block of wood to the end of your tool box. Then when you need to support a workpiece on a small job, clamp a 3″ vice onto the wood block.

User-friendly clamps

Clamps make great assistants. Many home workshops are stocked with G-clamps, spring clamps, pipe clamps and hand screws, but there are, other types for just about any job. Some of the handiest are below.

Bar clamps

A Quick-Grip bar clamp can be set one-handed. To slide the jaw into place, pull the trigger. To add pressure, squeeze the grip. Removable rubber pads protect the work.

Lightweight aluminum bar clamps work as well as, or even better than, steel bar clamps. The lighter weight makes a large glue-up easier to move, and the aluminum won’t leave glue stains.

Try a cam-action bar clamp for light-duty jobs. To set one, slide the movable jaw to the work; lock it in place by turning the cam lever so that it is perpendicular to the bar of the clamp.

Specialty clamps

Choose a web clamp when you need to hold irregularly shapes pieces together, and when you are working with interlocking joints (such as those in a chair).

Use deep-throat G-clamps to apply pressure to the center of wide pieces. These clamps come in a variety of sizes, and they are fairly inexpensive.

When you need to hold an edging, such as trim, molding or laminate, in place, use an edge clamp. As you set it, make sure that all the screws are applying equal pressure.